HFTP Blog
January 23, 2020

Attention, Clubs: Are All Your Plans in Place?

Clubs
Written by Briana Gilmore

It is an indisputable fact that has stood the test of time — Planning is vitally important to success. In fact, Benjamin Franklin, a founding father of the United States, is credited as having once famously said hundreds of years ago, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." This is especially true in business, and for the club industry in particular.

Planning ensures you are not caught off-guard and unprepared in the event of an emergency — whether that emergency is an environmental disaster, a cybersecurity breach, financial fraud, data theft, or the future unknown. Even when the waters are calm, planning helps you achieve future targets and objectives, putting your club ahead of the game.

Unsure where to begin? Attending an educational conference is a great way to learn valuable planning strategies. This spring, plan to attend the HFTP 2020 Club Summit, taking place March 23-24 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, Georgia USA.

PLAN FOR DISASTER

Coastal clubs and golf courses have often been left reeling from the devastating impact and extreme damage caused by hurricanes and flooding — while others in colder climates find themselves scrambling to prepare for blizzards and polar vortexes strong enough to shut down entire cities. These are just a few examples of disasters that could be headed your way.

Do not get left out in the storm. Planning for disaster recovery does not have to involve re-inventing the wheel. In the session Disaster Planning and Recovery for a Club Controller — A Matter of When, review standard procedures and tools to transition smoothly from the recovery process back to your day-to-day operations. Share disaster stories if you dare so that others may learn from previous mishaps. Be the hero by being prepared for the worst.

PLAN FOR YOUR NEXT AUDIT

Annual audits — We all know what they are and what we have to do to get through them. But, how can you get the most value from your annual audit? The session How to Get the Most from Your Annual Audit will tackle that question from three different perspectives: the controller/CFO, the general manager and the auditor.

In the session Internal Controls and Third-Party Risk: Best Practices and Practical Guidelines, you get to hear from the experts on cyber and control risks, as well as from external auditors on the important subjects of internal controls. The presenters will detail how to conduct due diligence to help your club minimize the risks of fraud, theft and data breaches.

Are you the CFO in a private club? What Is the Chief Financial Officer's Role at My Private Club is a round table discussion where you can hear from a club president, treasurer, COO and fellow CFO and what they envision for your role. From monthly membership billing to negotiating benefits, hardware systems to human resources, annual budgets to long-range cash forecasting — discover what is expected from you.

PLAN FOR POSSIBLE CYBER ATTACKS

Cyber Security Outlook for 2020 is a session designed to help you protect your club against possible cyber attacks. Examine the various types of cyber attacks, how to combat them and how to prevent them from occurring. Determine your options if you have been the victim of a cyber attack and explore common cyber insurance policies and their coverage. Finally, take a look at your company's Cyber Security Awareness Policy and address your workplace procedures to protect the workplace.

Then, attend the session How to Create a Strategic IT Plan to gain a solid methodology for constructing a comprehensive, strategic IT plan for your club. Learn how to coordinate IT planning with your club's overall strategic plan. Examine five key planning strategies for your club, including common-sense security measures to ensure your club is protecting its data and networks. You will learn what you need and be given the tools to get your strategic IT plan done.

PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

As technological advancements become more readily available, the question is: How can clubs take advantage of them to help streamline operations? The session The Future...And How Do We Get There?will unveil new opportunities to use smart technology to the benefit of your business including: innovations in AP processes, communications, HR solutions and more.

PLAN TO ATTEND THE HFTP 2020 CLUB SUMMIT

Register online and start planning your agenda to attend these sessions and learn how to plan for a myriad of possible situations.

"If you have a question or a problem in your career at a club, bring it to HFTP's Club Summit," encourages one 2019 Club Summit attendee. "There will be someone there that has faced it and can offer a solution."

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